Lee Sharpe
Former Manchester United, Leeds United, Bradford City and England footballer.
Lee Sharpe began his footballing career at Torquay United, and in his first season with them, after just 16 games, Manchester United recognised his potential and signed him for £200,000 – a record fee at the time for a YTS player. He quickly established himself in the first team, initially playing out of position at left back before taking over from Ralph Milne as left-winger during the 1990–91 season. Sharpe played a pivotal role in United’s success, helping them win the European Cup Winners’ Cup that season and scoring a hat-trick against Arsenal at Highbury in the 1990 League Cup. United eventually secured a 6–2 victory, a game Sharpe cites as one of the best moments in his football career. Over eight years at Old Trafford, he made 265 appearances and scored 36 goals.
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Lee Sharpe
Despite ongoing injury issues, Leeds United signed Sharpe for £4.5 million in the summer of 1996, making him their record signing. However, his time at Leeds was plagued with further injuries. He made just 26 Premiership appearances in 1996–97, scoring five goals, and a pre-season knee injury ruled him out for the entirety of the 1997–98 season. Unable to regain his place in the team, he was loaned to Italian Serie A side Sampdoria in the autumn of 1998 until early 1999. In March 1999, Sharpe went on loan to Bradford City, helping secure the club’s promotion to the Premiership after 77 years outside the top division. He later signed permanently for Bradford for a £250,000 fee and played a crucial role in helping them maintain their Premiership status during the 1999–2000 season.
In the 2000–01 season, Sharpe lost his place in the Bradford team and, before Christmas, went on loan to Division One Portsmouth. He returned to Bradford during the 2001–02 season, but with his contract expiring, he was released on a free transfer.
After a brief trial at Grimsby Town, Sharpe signed for Exeter City and then moved to Grindavík FC in Iceland. In June 2003, at the age of 32, he announced his retirement from professional football.
Following his retirement, Lee Sharpe embarked on a successful career in television, leveraging his charm, humour, and natural ability in front of the camera. His television work includes appearances on the 2005 ITV show Celebrity Wrestling, where he competed under the name “Sharpe Shooter.” He is perhaps best known for his stint on Celebrity Love Island alongside Abi Titmuss, and as a contestant on ITV’s Dancing On Ice, where he partnered with Frankie Poultney and made it through to round seven. He has also featured in Dec’s team on Ant versus Dec on their Saturday Night Takeaway show. More recently, Sharpe starred in the 2008 Channel Five series Superstars, as part of the winning team captained by Sir Steven Redgrave.
Lee regularly provides football punditry for the BBC, featuring on shows such as Score, Football Focus, and Match of the Day 2, both as a live studio guest and as a features reporter. His lively and engaging personality makes him a popular choice for the after-dinner circuit, where he shares memorable stories from his football career and experiences in television with audiences.
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